The Football Association of Wales has not changed its mind. Chief executive Noel Mooney told BBC Wales that the FAW still believes Fifa president Gianni Infantino should step down, repeating a stance the association first took in early August when it withdrew its backing for him. The comments came just days after Infantino laughed off a question about whether he had considered resigning.
What Infantino said, and what Wales heard
Over the weekend, Infantino claimed to have the support of the "vast, vast majority" of world football and laughed off questions about resigning. Mooney was not moved. "Our position certainly hasn't changed," he said, reminding listeners that Wales were the first country in the world to say they would not support Infantino's re-election. Infantino, who has led Fifa since 2016, is standing for a third time.
Mooney framed the argument around character as much as politics. What you want from a Fifa president, he said, is moral guardianship of the game, somebody who has its best interests at heart at all times.
The plan that started the row
The trouble began in July, when the Fifa Forward Enterprise proposal came to light. Known as the FFE, it would have sold stakes in Fifa's competitions to private investors. The backlash was loud enough that Infantino apologised to the Fifa Council earlier this month over the "communication and consultation" around the plan. Mooney called the project "a classic example of poor governance, poor guardrails, poor guardianship of the game."
Uefa has also stepped in. European football's governing body has said Fifa should release key documents and answer all questions on its governance and decision-making by a deadline of 2 November. That date is less than a week away, and it will show how Fifa responds when pressed by its biggest confederation.
A system problem, not just one man
Mooney was careful to say that this is not only about who sits in the chair. "It's not just about the Fifa president, it's about the whole system," he said, calling for a review of how the global game is governed. His specific complaint was concentration of power: one person, in his words, should not hold as much as the Fifa president does. "It's crazy," he added.
Whether that argument finds many allies is another matter. Recent BBC reporting says Infantino's hopes of re-election have been boosted by support from Asia after a U-turn, so the Welsh position, however firm, is not yet a majority view. The next few days, and Uefa's 2 November deadline, will show whether the pressure is building or fading.
Club business context: Infantino has been Fifa president since 2016 and is seeking a third term. The FAW withdrew its backing in early August. Uefa's deadline for Fifa to answer questions on the FFE proposal is 2 November. Source: BBC Sport.
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